Chaser: The Ultimate Dying Slave
by Minagi Ito
Summary: Sequel to Remnant of the Old World. Major yuri/shoujo-ai ness, don't like, don't read. You've been warned.
1. Chapter 1

**Chaser: The Ultimate Dying Slave**

_I_

"After so long, you still look the same," Sachiko commented as Yumi poured them some fresh tea. "So are you," Yumi whipped settling down next to her lover. "How many Chasers survived the Final Chaos?" Sachiko changed the topic as she got up and walked over to the window in the buff. "Only myself and one other," Yumi answered as her eyes raked over Sachiko's nude body. "You could've won if you'd brought her," Sachiko said not turning around to face Yumi. "She'd find herself love, and I rather not take that happiness away from her." Yumi got up and put the cups on the table before she walked up behind Sachiko and wrapped her arms around her lover. "If we weren't in a dooming state, I would love to make up for lost time with you." Yumi whispered before gently nibbling on Sachiko's earlobe, causing the woman in her arms elicited a sweet sound that got Yumi excited.

The knocking on the door interrupted them, "What is it?" "Master, we've put out the cauldron but the dark clouds above haven't dissipated. It seems to gotten bigger as though forming into a tornado of sort," the familiar gruff voice said from the other side of the door. "I see," Sachiko paused as Yumi helped her get dressed. "Gather the troops, the _Slaves_ are coming." Sachiko said in a firm and commanding voice. "Hah," the gruff voice replied. "Please move those that can't fight to a safe stronghold, the Slaves will leave nothing alive." Yumi added. "Roger that," came a reply and the couple could hear the sounds of footfall moving further away.

"You're as soft as ahhh… usual…" Sachiko said breathlessly. "Only because of you," Yumi replied nibbling at the tender flesh on Sachiko's neck while her right hand lost somewhere inside Sachiko's pants as her left hand wrapped around the woman's waist to keep her steady. Feeling the tension in Sachiko, Yumi stopped her movements long enough to made the woman whimpered for release. Like a hungry lion, Yumi kissed Sachiko hard just as she resumed her movements again, sending Sachiko over the edge while smothering her scream with the fearsome kiss until that beautiful body went limp in her arm.

"I need a bath," Sachiko said once she regained her strength. "Shall I accompany you?" Yumi asked as mischief twinkled in her mocha eyes. "No, if you do I would have to have a bath after my bath." Sachiko quickly declined the offer. "Aww…" Yumi pouted cutely that Sachiko had to giggle at the sight but did not linger as she got important business to attend to.

MgM

"Ah, what ominous sign," Shimako murmured looking up at the redden sky as the white clouds turned black. It has been many moons since that conversation, and Noriko had since distant herself from Shimako as well. The little amount of comfort has vanished; Noriko has been focusing more and more of her time strengthening her body for the battle that has yet to come.

"I must go," Noriko said some days after that ominous feeling that Shimako felt that day when the sky changed its color. "My Lord, you mustn't…" Shimako tried to stop the young girl from seeking her own death. "This is not something neither you nor I can decide upon miko," Noriko paused but didn't turn to face the priestess. "This is my destiny as I was born just for this; I've become _too human_ that I almost forgot the purpose of my very existence. From this day on, you are no longer bound to me, you are free miko. Goodbye," Noriko said, looking ahead as her feet carried her forward.

Whether it is to save the world from another destruction or to fulfill her duty as a Chaser, Noriko doesn't know anymore but what she know was that she will not abandon her own kind anymore. She doesn't want to be the last Chaser when this is over, she wanted someone to understand her in ways that no one else could and Yumi was that person because they're the same.

"Then take me with you," Shimako said after a long moment that Noriko was almost out of the gate. "No," Noriko replied coldly. "Nijō Noriko, even if you set me free, I refuse to be free and that make us bound together still, so don't you dare leave me here alone. Have you forgotten the promise you made to Fukuzawa-san?" Shimako was being courageous for once.

"_Do not let her come, this battle isn't meant for anyone but me. This is my old wound that I want to be the only one to close it, this is for the best for both of you miko. She is a good person, do not let her slip away from you,"_ Yumi's words still echoed in Shimako's mind after she bid the couple farewell.

"_My friend, promise me that you will always take care of the miko here. I will return in victory, and then we will celebrate with the finest wines. Promise me that you will never leave the miko's side," _Yumi had said before leaving them to head into the war torn country of Yamayuri. Noriko, not understanding her friend had nodded her head and promised to never abandon the miko, she wanted to keep that promise but she doesn't want to put the miko in danger yet there's no way she could just not do anything when her friend is facing death heads-on.

"I haven't, but you're not happy with me and I don't want to keep you if you're not happy here. There have been too many regrets in my life miko, and I don't want any more regrets if I could help it." Noriko said softly as warmth once more returned to her. "Then take me with you, I too wanted no more regrets. I'd wished to see the world through your eyes to understand you better, so that I could respond to your feelings for me appropriately. I don't want this distant between us to keep on growing," Shimako said in a shaky voice as she now stood right next to her young wife. "My miko, where I am going will be too dangerous for a delicate flower such as you, and I fear that I might not be able to protect from all the bad things to come." Noriko turned to look at her beautiful wife. "Don't take me lightly my lord, for I am trained to defend myself against all attempts in defiling of our most sacred treasure." Shimako replied as a beautiful blush adorned her cheeks.

And so, the young couple returned to their small home now that the sun was already up high, it is too late to start the journey now so they will have to wait for tomorrow. At last, the miko finally called her young wife by her name and not just _my lord_, and that surprised and also made Noriko happy. Her love was reciprocated, the human side of her wanted to stay here forever but the mechanic side of her urged her to come to her friend's aid.

_A/N: finally, back in business! actually, I'm totally behind on working on this, my brain cells haven't been working lately. curse my lazy brain cells -laughs- anyways, hope y'all enjoy this first chapter and sequel to "Remnant of the Old World," now I need to stop for a moment because my left eye started to throb again. It has been very sensitive since the surgery -sulk- Ja~_


	2. Chapter 2

_II_

"Humans are so fragile," Sachiko commented looking out at the barren land before her. "Indeed they are, and their curiosity always ended up in disaster." Yumi agreed watching the demons lined up in their battle armors ready to defend their master from the Slaves that will soon to come. "Let's pray that it is not too late to stop that cycle of destruction," Sachiko murmured pulling the mask over her lovely face. "Is my love not confident in her skills now?" Yumi teased sitting down as to not overshadow what Sachiko was going to do.

"My brethrens," Sachiko started and all the monsters become quiet immediately. "We will once again walk the earth," she paused as those before broke out in cheers. Raising her hands up to silence the audience before her, "But first, we must correct a mistake that I've made thinking it is the best way for us, and I was wrong. So my brothers and sisters, will you lend me your strength in correcting this mistake?" "YEAH!!!" they all roared out their answer with no hesitation in their voice. "We will take on any Slaves that come, even though they're off my mother's blood, their only instinct is to destroy. If we allow that to happen, this world and everything on it will be destroy and I will not stand to see they mercilessly cutting down my brethrens. With me is Fukuzawa Yumi, she'd seen her fair share of Slaves and slay over a hundred of them during the last Final Chaos, and she is willing to set aside our differences to help us achieve our goal of walking the world once more. What does my brethrens think?" she finished. "Yumi, Yumi, Yumi…" they started to chanted her names knowing if someone could take on a Slave and survived would greatly increased their chance in winning the battle that's to come.

MgM

"So beautiful," Noriko murmured looking down at her sleeping wife. The ship will carry them to Yamayuri, it has been a week since they left their home and one day since they left dry land. Suddenly, the ship rocked violently, the sound of people screaming from panic echoed throughout the ship and into the quiet cabin. That jolted the young miko awake, she sat up and the cover lazily fell down onto her lap revealing her unclothed chest. "Stay here," Noriko said, already by the doorway. Grabbing her clothes, Shimako quickly get dressed and followed right behind her lover, to the chaos outside the cabin watching Noriko cut down pirates with a sword that Shimako didn't know the girl carried with her.

To say that Noriko is a cruel person would be a bit exaggerating, though that's hardly an exaggeration when she's cutting the pirates in a gruesome manner that set fear into the rest of them. She wouldn't kill them right away, but slowly cutting away their body parts to make them suffer as much as possible before they died. To her, they deserved it for disturbing her wife's sleep, there's nothing more irritating than having someone disturbed her quiet moment of watching her wife sleeping.

"Cowards," Noriko said after giving the last of the pirates a kick in the back, sending the fool overboard and into the sea. The remaining survivors and deckhands started to tidy up the ship once more, Noriko calmly helped out in disposing the bodies into the ocean as the others were either too superstitious or too afraid to do it. Shimako wanted to help, but Noriko wouldn't let her as she doesn't want her miko to dirty her hands with such trivial matter.

_I'm coming for you my friend,_ Noriko thought to herself as she looked out at the vast ocean before her. "What are you thinking about?" Shimako's soft voice drew her out of her worried state of mind. "How happy and fortunate I am to be married to you," Noriko said turning around to look at her lovely wife. "Noriko," Shimako paused reaching out to rest her hand upon Noriko's cheek. "You needn't to hide your worries from me, as your wife I wanted to share your burdens as well as your happiness." "My sweet, sweet miko, there's no way I could burden you with my worries, but I'm glad that you worry for me." Noriko smiled holding onto her wife's hand not wanting to lose the warmth of Shimako's hand.

MgM

"Sachiko, behind you!" Yumi shouted leaping from her position and with her sword above her head, she brought it down with incredible brute force slicing a large scorpion Slave that's ready to struck Sachiko with its tail. "As reckless as always," Yumi commented standing back-to-back with her fiancé. "This is coming from someone that have little to no regard of her own life," Sachiko teased back as both surrounded by waves of giant red scorpions. "Well, that would be because I'm completely caught up with keeping my lover alive," Yumi said with a chuckle followed suit. She knew that her words would make Sachiko blushed even under that helmet of hers, and indeed Sachiko blushed hard behind her helmet.

"Let's send them on their way into oblivion," Yumi said seriously changing her sword into a glaive. "Indeed," Sachiko agreed as her right hand transformed into large sharp claws with her left hand holding onto a beautifully crafted falchion. Not wasting any more times, the two dashed away from each other and into the fray of the enemies, cutting and slicing blindly as green blood splashed upon their clothes and armors while dodging the acidic venoms shooting out from the scorpions' tail.

Further away, the demons/monsters fought with all their might, knowing that their master and her companion entered the playground of the Slaves leaving the small fries for them to take care of. Their master, a woman of character and could be somewhat hysterical at times, always put the safety of her brethrens before her own. Instead of leading them into the devil's playground, she left them behind and entered by herself determined to protect them with her life and that led the demons to believe that she is indeed the true child of Arkelaze.

Many of Sachiko's generals felt that her blood was calling out to them, even though she herself knew not of it, she accepted them as though they're her brothers and sisters without questioning their motives. Sachiko isn't the type to trust people blindingly, but when she met them there seemed to be an instant connection that led her to throw cautions to the wind. Amongst them, Norklaze and Dante were considered the most powerful demons/monsters to have served under Sachiko without ever questioning her orders, Norklaze was Arkelaze's second child born from her blood with a head of an ox and a gruff voice. While Dante, always clad in armors, no one had ever seen her real self, not even Sachiko, though she was Arkelaze's first child, she's sufficiently colder and less friendly towards others even her own mother.

Norklaze and Dante worked in perfect harmony, bringing down one Slave after another. Norklaze kept the troops' moral up as Dante continued to keep a close eye on her brother, making sure that he stayed alive to see a new world he'd always wished for even if it meant her own death. Like Yumi, Dante has very little regard of her own life, she believed that she'd lived far too long and now she would gladly welcome death with open arms as there's nothing worth living now that Arkelaze no longer exist amongst them.

_A/N: yay! Ugh... my head hurt... anyway, it will be a long while before I put up another chapter, brain go on hiatus... and I'm waiting for it to come back to me. Hope y'all enjoy it. Ja~_


	3. Chapter 3

_III_

"I'm going to help them," Norklaze said once they gotten the last of the Slaves and everyone cheered in victory. "What good will you do? You'll only hinder them with your presence," the black armor-clad woman said. "Move!" the same woman shouted pushing Norklaze aside, raising her left hand up to caught the blade that was aimed to kill Norklaze.

"Out of our way filthy demon!" Noriko roared as Shimako dashed past her and up the steps of the ruined castle. "Tough talk for a Chaser with demon's blood flow through her veins," the one in armor retorted as the blade cut through her gauntlet and drawing blood. "I don't have time for you," Noriko snarled baring her fangs. "So am I," the other one spat as Noriko leaped away dashing up after Shimako.

"After them," Norklaze commanded the remaining troops. "No," the armor-clad woman said holding her right hand up to stop the troops in their mid-step. "My brother, tend their wounds and do not follow those two." "But Dante, what about your wounds?" Norklaze protested. "They are not fatal Norklaze," she paused before turning around to face the wary troops. "Under no circumstances are any of you allowed to enter the castle, there will be no mercy if you dare disobey my direct order. Am I making myself clear?" she shouted and her troops replied. With that, she left her brother to look after the troops as she headed into the castle, chasing after the Chaser and her companion.

MgM

"So, this is the mother-load of all Slaves," Yumi commented staring at the ridiculously pinkish blob of a larva crab looking creature that continued to spit out horrid looking Slaves of different sizes, shapes, and forms in both child form and adult form. "I'm not sure what to make of it," Sachiko added. "I concur," Yumi nodded readying her glaive.

Leaving Sachiko to fend off the other Slaves, Yumi increased her power directly into her weapon and leaped up in the air. Cutting down the blob of a larva crab looking thing, causing purple liquid to gushed out and splattered onto Yumi covering her from head to toes. In that effect, the foreign source of blood entered her body and changed her just as someone clashed their weapon against Sachiko's sword. Being attacked by two other persons while taking down the Slaves leaving Sachiko somewhat vulnerable, and indeed she was unable to block those two's next attack that send her sliding toward the wall with a nasty wound over her chest and right arm.

"It ends here demon," Noriko said approaching her enemy with her sword raised above her head. "Get away from HER!" Yumi roared as her eyes turned black as the night and only her iris shown a color of blood red. With incredible speed, Yumi knocked the priestess aside and aimed her glaive right for her friend. Noriko flicked her wrist and deflected the glaive though it knocked her back a few yards, puzzling at the outcome of things Noriko would like to ask her friend but Yumi was already on the offense and going after her in a flurry movements of that sharp glaive that Noriko wasted no time in asking questions.

"This is wrong," Sachiko murmured getting up. She doesn't want to see Yumi hurt because of her, yet there's something different about Yumi that she couldn't quite put her fingers on. But from the corner of her eyes, a monster appeared and Sachiko turned her attention away from her lover to the new threat behind her.

Shimako, dazed as she got up on her feet only to witness friends killing each other, before Shimako could think up of a way to stop the carnage, something short and sharp was pressed against her neck though not enough to draw blood. She would react to this threat, but she realized that her arms are locked by a foreign armor-clad arm to keep her in place.

"That is quite enough," a calm voice echoed immediately caused all actions to cease within the area of effect. "Dante, what the hell do you think you're doing in here?" Sachiko asked glaring at her subordinate. "Why, to save your ass," the armor-clad woman behind Shimako replied in a playful tone as she throw the knife in her hand right at the monster behind Sachiko, effectively piercing its head.

"Now, I'm pretty sure you noticed the changes inside of you do you not?" Dante asked turning her attention back to Yumi who stopped trying to kill Noriko for now. Yumi said nothing as she nodded her head; black flames had started to crept up onto her face slowly like they're alive. "What will you do then? Conquer this pitiful world or remake it? Whatever the choice may be, take Sachiko with you and I'm sure you know where to go to for now. Go Yumi, save her from this miserable burden that we've place upon her and set her free," Dante continued. She acted as the voice of reason for the consuming rage within Yumi right now, nodding her head in agreeing with what Dante said. Yumi let go of her glaive as it got absorbed back into Yumi's arm, ignoring all the screeching and hissing from the monsters around them as she moved over to Sachiko and picked her up in a single movement. Darkness sprouting out from Yumi's back and Dante took the liberty of blowing up the ceiling and anything else the stood in its way to give Yumi a way out of this place.

MgM

"Don't get in our ways miko," the armor-clad woman said in a low tone before pushed Shimako aside to smash her fist into an oncoming bat-looking monster. From behind, Shimako could clearly saw the blood seeping out from the cut in the armor. It made her realized that this demon may talked big, she knew that she doesn't have long to live and rather save her master from this doom now that the Queen Slave was killed.

_You're a smart woman miko, but as long as the blood of the Slave Queen is still alive in someone else's body, the Slaves will continued to pour forth even without being give birth to from another world. But with that blood, the vessel would gain immeasurable power to bring either destruction or eternal peace to the world. Do you think we'll live long enough to see the outcome miko?_ A soft voice asked Shimako though she doesn't from where or who, since both her wife and her enemy are busy fending off the onslaught of Slaves emerging from the ground.

As sudden as it could be, the onslaught of continuous spawn of Slaves stopped leaving the women there with piles of dead Slaves. "You will die here monster," Noriko announced as two swords appeared in her hands while her eyes burn with fury. "This is coming from a 3-parts demon," the woman laughed crisply at Noriko's words. The battle between them started and Shimako could only look on, if she stepped in to help she would only distract Noriko all the more. Within a few strikes, the two separated and the helmet on her enemy cracked and fell apart, revealing to Noriko's eyes a stone-cold face of a very human person instead of a monstrous demon-looking face.

"You're a human," Noriko was shocked at the revelation. "Human?" Dante laughed yet against despite the blood slowly trickling down onto her face. "I was Arkelaze's companion before human even come into existence, who do you think you're modeled after?" she asked laughing still. "The humans were modeled after Arkelaze and I, the feminine was made after Arkelaze while the masculine was modeled after me. You do belief that your gods made you without having someone to model after? Do you know how I wanted to kill every single human alive when Arkelaze died because she'd foolishly trusted a human? Not a single moment gone by that I didn't think about making you all pay for killing her," she paused looking at Noriko with a cold and serious look. "We taught you how to hunt, speak, read and write, yet we were repaid with hostility and betrayal. Now I know why your gods abandoned you right after creating you, they looked into the distant future and saw how destructive you are going to be. We, we were foolish and ended up reaping the disaster upon ourselves for taking in the humans," she finished with her voice sounded distant and full of regret within it.

_A/N: Finally, something is working! Anyway, there's a character in this story that might or will make reoccurance in other stories as well. Because you see, this is all part of a bigger plan! Just kidding, sorry for the long silence but I'm really busy with work and shool that my brain doesn't want to come up with anything for this story. Thank you for your patience, enjoy~_


	4. Chapter 4

_IV_

"She's heading to Kasglow or Harada," Dante said looking out at the sea as she and Noriko worked on getting a ship ready. They'd managed to have a truce and worked together searching for a ship that's not already been destroyed from the raid and the war against the Slaves weeks earlier. With the collapse of the castle, the Slaves no longer appeared and the remaining armies of demons and monsters pulled back to rest up and waiting on words from their masters under Dante's order.

"Think we can sail a boat with just our raw power?" Noriko asked doing a final check of the ship. "Think you can last until we reach land?" Dante replied with a smirk on her face. Since the dismissal of the armies, the demoness had shed her armors and wore normal peasant clothing. "Heh, is that a bet?" Noriko asked grinning at her enemy turning ally. "The loser cook up a feast for the winner," Dante said. "Deal," Noriko agreed. It doesn't matter where they're heading as long as they reach dry land, they would be able to catch up to Yumi.

"She's your wife?" Dante asked once they started rowing out in the open ocean. "Yeah," Noriko nodded. "You got good taste," the other woman commented. "I hope we could finally settle down after this is over," Noriko said. "I'm sure that's what your friend thinks too, but I worry that she won't be strong enough to fight the blood of the Slaves inside of her." Dante nodded. "We're such a depressing bunch," Dante said changing the subject.

MgM

In Harada, in a single night the entire nation itself was wiped out by a strong power emitting from the Capital. In the shadow of the night, darkness spread at incredible speed covering from one corner of the nation to the other. Inside the palace, nothing but peace and quietness and not a soul could be found. The corridors were empty, the rooms shown no sign of life. Harada itself quickly become a ghost-country, covered in darkness and stripped of all life.

Lying upon the well-decorated canopy bed, Sachiko was without her clothes on. Yumi silently worked on Sachiko's wounds, cleaning and wrapping it up while listening to her lover's shallow breathing. It was a good thing that the wounds aren't too deep, otherwise Yumi would have to come back and really kill her friend for good. If asked, Yumi would never hesitate to cut down even her closet friend to protect her lover. She had done her job in saving mankind from extinction once and betrayed the woman she loved, now she will not do that again because she doesn't want to lose the love of her life like it was back then. She would destroy this world if Sachiko wished for it, and now with the blood of the Slave inside of her that urge only increased all the more.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Yumi whispered as soon as she saw her lover stirred. "…lousy…" Sachiko replied hoarsely. It has been many days and she knew that she's out for many days because of the wounds on her body. "I must look disgusting to you now huh?" Sachiko asked weakly as she felt the bandages on her body. "No, not at all," Yumi quickly got up and moved over to the bed, sitting down as she looked deeply into those sapphire eyes of her lover. "If anything, it only made me love you more and to never take you for granted," she continued while caressing Sachiko's pale face with her right hand.

It's not an act of kindness, it was love, and Yumi was letting Sachiko knew how much she meant to Yumi. Even with the blood of the Slave coursing through her veins, Yumi was able to suppress it enough to keep her humanity in check. It has been far too long that she spent her life in regret, for not loving her fiancé enough and betraying her for the sake of mankind.

"You're such… a kind person Yumi…" Sachiko managed after Yumi give her some water. "Only to you love," Yumi whispered feeling the darkness inside of her stirred once more. Dropping onto the floor, searing pain ripped through her body like thousands of needles, unimaginable coldness invaded her senses. Her surroundings vanished, leaving her with nothing but darkness. Even Sachiko disappeared from her sight, the pain continued to increase itself to the point of nearly putting Yumi into an unconscious state. While struggling to breathe, Yumi's physical appearance slowly changed. A set of marvelous horns grew on her head, her fingers turned into sharp claws, a fine leathery tail, and a set of leathery bat wings on her back like the cover of the night.

MgM

"God, what happened?" Shimako gasped at the ruin sight before her. Not a single tree was alive, the land of Harada stripped of life. "This is the darker side of what Arkelaze's blood could bring forth; the Slaves are the creations of Arkelaze's pain and anger. With the host that contained a similar genome to its own, it unlocked the most terrifying power that Arkelaze herself never wished upon anyone no matter how much she hated them." Dante explained looking up at the darken sky above. "Soon, the world will be covered in eternal darkness, and all life as we know it will cease to exist. Unless the host wished for it," she murmured.

"May Arkelaze have mercy on us," Noriko said taking the lead. "Indeed, but do not be hasty." Dante said pulling Noriko back before she stepped into the darkness of the land as they're still at the dock of Harada's harbor on the far west of the country. "Why did you pull me back?" Noriko asked with knitted brows looking at her friend. "Patient," was all that Dante said as she watched the water. With a quick snatch of the hand, she brought up a life fish trying to jump out of her grasp. Tossing the live fish into the darken part of the land, the fish immediately stripped to the bone in mere seconds.

"Non-demon will instantly be stripped to the bone as soon as they set foot on land," Dante said. "Then how will we get to them?" Noriko asked impatiently. "Only a true demon could walk without damage," a simple answer and yet complicated at the same time. "Come," Dante said extending her hands to them. Hesitant, Shimako took her hand and her young wife does the same, it is hard for them to trust the words of a demon, but she's their only person that could help them get to their friend. And so, Dante stepped into the darkness the covered the land, seemingly unharmed and begin the long stretch toward the Capital while constantly telling the other two to never let go of her hand no matter what.

The power of darkness was far more destructive than anyone could imagine, because when the blood of the original Slave and the blood of a demon mixed together, the combination resulted in a deadly effect. Yumi, because she's three-part demon, it make the result even more interesting because of her five-part machine could activate the full potential of the combining bloods. The result, the entire kingdom of Harada was wiped out in a blink of an eye upon Yumi's very wish.


	5. Chapter 5

_V_

_Come on, how could you protect her with that frail body of yours and the little power you have? _A strange looking woman in suit, something Yumi hadn't seen in a VERY long time. Knitting her brows together, Yumi tried to remember if she'd met this woman with a set of horns somewhere before. The room surrounding them contained nothing but a few candles to light the room, no furniture, not even a chair to sit down. The woman with horns sighed as though she knew what Yumi was thinking, _if it makes you feel comfortable. _The room become fully-lit, showing the pure white furniture laying about giving it an elegant touch and yet not too overly done, Yumi was surprised though she didn't show it on her face.

_Take the key and unlock the power that lay dormant within you to protect her,_ the woman said sitting down on the white couch while holding a silver key in her hand. "I don't need your key to protect the woman I love," Yumi snarled. _Oh really? If it weren't for the technology and demon blood in you, do you think you could even measure up to her? _The woman asked with a quirked brow challenging Yumi, but Yumi controlled herself and didn't take the bait in losing her temper.

_Fair enough, since you don't want this power, and then give it to Dante when she comes. But then, can you defeat her once you give it to her? _She wasn't kidding this time, her words remained void of emotions but her face changed from calm to serious. "She will not be so power craze that she would kill her own brethrens with your power," Yumi replied with the same seriousness. _You're rather simple-minded_, the woman said laughing crisply. _Unlike you two, Dante is a pure-bred with power that rivaled with my own and she was the reason that you're still alive now. She'd sealed her own power away, could you imagine what would happen when she unleashed it using this key? _It wasn't the kind of question that the devilish looking woman asked to get an answer from Yumi, no she continued before Yumi could even say anything in reply to her question.

_She had once destroyed an entire civilization for offending Arkelaze, who know what she will do now if her power is to be unlocked. _"You're being ridiculous, if she's dangerous then why do you insist that I should use the key to unlock my power when you could just use to her power to burn this world to ashes?" Yumi was becoming irritated with the woman. Her words struck a chord with the woman, who flinched and vanished just like that and Yumi realized that she's on the ground staring up at a very worried Sachiko.

"What's happening to me?" Yumi asked hoarsely sounding weak and tired. "You're changing into a Slave," a familiar voice answered before Sachiko could say anything. "What are you doing here?" Yumi asked though she aimed the question more at Noriko and Shimako than the other woman. "To help you control your new power and not letting it overwhelming you," Noriko replied though the sight before unnerved her somewhat. "Indeed, I am wondering though, if you're destined to bring salvation or destruction, however so far you had shown all the signs of destructions. Can you cling onto that power and fought for control?" the handsome woman asked Yumi.

Silence reigned the room, Yumi knew the things that woman said was true. She was slowly losing this battle, no matter how strong she is, the demon parts of her hunger for power and had sought to surrender itself to the new power that surged within her. So she must make a tough decision, as her eyes focused on the woman before her analyzing her to make sure that the decision she will be making will lead her to victory without further bloodshed.

"I met a woman, who told me that you're more suits for it, but your power rival of her mother…" Yumi trailed off her eyes glancing toward Sachiko. "That is true, but time done its damaged to my body; I've grown old and tired of this world and this life of mine. My brother will lead our people from now on, rebuilding Yamayuri as our home. Sachiko, we no longer burden you making you free to choose your path. I can take away that power you have and restore this desolated kingdom to its former glory and all I asked in return is to be able to have my eternal rest. I've longed for Arkelaze," Dante answered and suddenly she looked much older than before.

MgM

Dante was right; she cut her own hand and Yumi's hand before joining their hands together to absorb all of the Slaves blood into her body. Her transformation was magnificent, unlike Yumi's transformation, hers has no horns just a set of beautiful black feathered wings while her skin become as red as the hot molten lava. She healed Sachiko's wounds and recalling the darkness that covered Harada, brings lives back once more except for the capital where lives remained absent.

"You were meant to be the Ultimate Dying Slave, but I've grown tired of this little game." Dante said stepping out into the morning sun with the other behind her. "Perhaps not all humans seek for power and destruction after all," she continued when no one says anything. "But even if this is the end of the Slaves, there are many perils ahead of you Chasers. The remnants of the Slaves still remain, as there's only so much I can purge so the rest is up to you four." Dante vanished into thin air, leaving the four wondering but it wasn't long before they realized that the palace had transformed with banners of their victories and good deeds hanging all over and they are the current rulers of Harada.

"She was more than she let on," Sachiko murmured. "I concur, I'm starting to doubt her story of her being Arkelaze's first child, seems like the opposite to me." Noriko nodded her head thinking back on Dante's words. "Well, we don't look a gift horse in the mouth," Yumi said with a shrug, she'd learned that if there's no harm there's no reason to be thinking too hard about it.

So, they ruled over Harada, strengthen their bonds with Lilian, and often visit Yamayuri where the throne was passed down to a young demon named Ira that looked too much like Dante. Norklaze become an advisor instead of a ruler, ensuring that the young ruler will become a wise ruler. At long last, his wish comes true though his siblings no longer around to see the fruition of their dreams, he will look on for them as his niece rule over the realm and creating a strong tie with Harada. It has been ten years since the last war, Harada come under new rulers.

The Slaves still come around once in a while, when the sky turned red but the Chasers are always there to drive them back into their world. Once in a while, they would join force with Yamayuri if the Slave happened to appear in the monsters and demons kingdom. Once in a while, Norklaze would get to sit down with his former leader, Sachiko for a good drink and talks of old days.

**End~**


End file.
